Anthony Davis was obviously displeased with the direction of the organization that drafted him back in 2012 when he made his trade demand public. But with drastic moves being made by the front office, could Davis be regretting his attempted forced departure from New Orleans?
The Pelicans in the Anthony Davis era were never able to find sustained success. And now with his seventh year concluded in the NBA, Davis and the Pels have only seen postseason action twice. Both playoff appearances marred by the league’s Goliath: the Golden State Warriors. It’s understandable that a superstar would want to be in the best possible situation. And without many positive results in the Big Easy, Davis felt like he needed a change of scenery. But with drastic changes within the Pelicans front office, could Davis regret his decision in hindsight?
The rather underwhelming Demps era
Dell Demps—the team’s general manager from 2010 until his eventual firing in February 2019—tried to incorporate the right pieces around Davis. But with bad timing and unfortunate injuries, we never got to witness what the Pelicans might have achieved under different circumstances. In the Anthony Davis era, the Pelicans amassed a record of 251 wins and 323 losses.
Demps was not going to be the guy to usher in a winning culture in the Big Easy, and Davis probably knew that. But he probably did not expect the organization’s front office to use his trade demand as a wakeup call. Since the demand was publicized back in January, owner Gayle Benson and the powers at be have been making all the right moves.
Pelicans invested in sustained success
The Pelicans interviewed multiple candidates, all of whom bolstered credentials impressive enough to assume the vacated general manager position. Of those aforementioned candidates, ex-general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers David Griffin impressed the Pelicans the most. Anointed vice president of basketball operations, the Pelicans added a championship pedigree to their organization.
Back in January when Anthony Davis and his representation demanded a trade, he probably did not see his course of actions resulting in legitimate change for the organization. Dell Demps did what he could with a small market franchise but ultimately fell short of any real success. David Griffin knows what it takes to bring a championship to a small market.
Griffin took over GM duties in Cleveland back in 2014 and orchestrated a roster that won the city it’s first NBA championship in 2016. Obviously, there was a variety of factors that played hand in hand. The team had drafted Kyrie Irving prior to his hiring. And consequently, LeBron James made his heralded return back to Cleveland the same summer Griffin was hired. But nonetheless, Griffin still made significant transactions that benefited the team for short term success.
So with Griffin’s addition, and his outlook on the importance of building a team organically and ensuring sustained success—you’d have to think that would appeal to Davis. In Cleveland, he had to construct a roster with a win-now mentality. He succeeded, but in New Orleans, he can build a perennial contender. It’s still very plausible that Davis will buy what Griffin is selling.
Another recent acquisition the Pelicans have made is bringing in Aaron Nelson. The organization has had a lingering medical staff issue for years now and bringing in the likes of Nelson is sure to bolster their reputation. Nelson was part of a renowned Phoenix Suns medical staff that incorporated revolutionary injury prevention tactics.
Also out of Phoenix: League sources say that the Pelicans have successfully recruited noted Suns athletic trainer Aaron Nelson to make the move to New Orleans
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 30, 2019
Given Davis’ injury history, this move informed him how serious Griffin and Benson are in providing the best possible product for their players. The Pelicans have been making the best imaginable moves since Davis’ demand in January. Now, with potential cap space looming, and a lottery pick waiting for them in this NBA Draft—that negative perspective Davis had may be changing.
What do you think about this entire Anthony Davis saga? Is he too far gone? Can we save him? Or is what Griffin said about his intent on keeping AD just an elaborate scheme to boost his trade stock? Let us know in the comments below!